Approved

 

“Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent Council member, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.” (Mark 15:43 [NIV])

Each of the Gospels in the Bible (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, and John 19) tells us about Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish High Council. The High Council created laws for the people of Israel. They passed judgment with the Jewish religious leaders on anyone who broke the laws. Joseph would have been in the meeting with the priests and other religious leaders as they questioned Jesus. These men later took Jesus to Pontius Pilate. Yet, something was different about Joseph.

Not all religious leaders turned their backs on Jesus. A couple listened to what He said, questioned Him, and secretly believed in Him. They became Jesus’ disciples, too. Nicodemus is the first religious leader we read about who became a believer in Jesus (John 3.) The second is Joseph of Arimathea. We discover he was Jesus’ disciple after Jesus died. In the Bible passages noted above, Joseph asked Pilate if he could remove Jesus from the cross and put Him in his own unused tomb. Once Pilate determined from a centurion that Jesus was dead, he gave permission for Joseph to take Jesus’ body off the cross, wrap him in linens, and lay Him in the tomb.

This sounds normal. You may wonder what the big deal is. Why did each of the Gospel writers decide it necessary to record Joseph’s actions toward Jesus’ body? For Jews of the time, touching a dead body was a big deal. Why? Because it caused a person to become unclean, according to God’s laws. A person who touched a dead body had to perform ceremonial cleansing. For seven days after touching a dead body, a Jew is unclean and must perform a specific ceremonial washing as described in Numbers 19:11-13. Remember, Jesus’ arrest and death occurred during Passover week, a holy week. God’s laws required Jewish men to go to the Temple in Jerusalem for this holy week. Since Joseph touched Jesus’ body the night before the Sabbath, he would be unclean and unable to enter the Temple on the Sabbath to celebrate Passover. For Jews, especially Jewish leaders, becoming unclean, more so, choosing to become unclean, was unheard of, especially at Passover. They exerted effort to ensure their ceremonial cleanliness (righteousness).

What would cause Joseph to choose to be unclean according to the religious laws? Joseph counted the cost of acting like a Jew and keeping up the façade next to honoring and respecting Jesus the Messiah. To him, putting on a façade for the Jews was less important than taking care of the body of Jesus, his Savior. Jews could not leave a dead body on a cross over the Sabbath. It would dishonor God and the land He gave them. Joseph chose to honor Jesus and not to seek the approval of people. He chose to honor God. Joseph chose to humble himself let the Jewish people consider him unclean. He allowed the dishonor to fall on himself instead of the Messiah.

One other consideration Joseph may have had is Jesus taught He Himself is the fulfillment of God’s laws. Since Jesus fulfilled the laws, the Jewish people need not offer sacrifices for sins anymore. They did not need to consider ceremonial cleansing since Jesus cleanses all who believe in Him for their salvation. Because of Joseph’s belief in Jesus, he would not be unclean for having touched Jesus’ body. Joseph, by his actions, showed his belief in Jesus as the Son of God. He and Nicodemus went from being secret and peripheral believers to being open and active believers in Jesus, the Son of God.

Why is this a big deal 2000+ years after Jesus’ death and ascension? Joseph sought the approval and respect of the Jewish people and priests. As part of the High Council, he clearly had to keep every law. Joseph, a lawmaker and judge, wanted to be righteous. He wanted to get to heaven when he died on earth. When he listened to and about Jesus, he decided for himself Jesus is the Son of God. We each are at that point now. Jesus has already come to earth and returned to heaven. He became the sacrifice for our sins. He loves each person. Jesus provides cleansing from sins and God’s approval for each person. He gives eternal life with Him in heaven. We can be like Joseph and Nicodemus were. They sought love, respect, and approval from other people. Getting those things from people can never cleanse us from our sins (our wrongdoings). We cannot be good enough or earn our way to heaven. But, we can do like Joseph and Nicodemus did while Jesus was on earth. We can have God’s love, approval, and salvation by believing in His Son, Jesus. Yes, God loves us all the time. That love provided a way for us to be cleansed of our sins. God does not force us to trust in Jesus. He makes it salvation to us and we can decide for ourselves, like the disciples who walked with, heard, and trusted in Jesus while He was alive on earth.

The decision is your own to make. Keep trying to be good enough. Keep seeking love, approval, and respect from other people. You will never be assured of your salvation and place in heaven with God. Alternatively, seek God and His love, trust in Jesus as His Son for your salvation, and be approved by God and have eternal life with Him in heaven. Doing things to look good and trying to be good are not good enough. Joseph and Nicodemus understood that. They knew the religious laws and realized trying to keep them and appear good was not the same as the goodness (righteousness) God gives to each person who believes in Jesus. God gives love, forgiveness, approval, and salvation. Will you believe and accept it?

Stop trying to be "good enough."

Seek God’s approval.

The Cup

 

“And He (Jesus) was saying, ‘Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me, yet not what I will, but what You will.’” (Mark 14:36 [NASB])

 Jesus approached His final Passover. He and His disciples walked to Jerusalem to take part in the festivities and remembrances that week. The Jews recalled the times when I AM (Yahweh God) provided food for them in the wilderness. They remembered when the Spirit of God went from home to home and from one animal stall to another, killing the first-born of each species. Moses told the Jews to put the blood of a sacrificial lamb on their door frame to protect them from God’s judgment. The Spirit bypassed obedient Hebrews when exacting God’s vengeance against Egypt. During that night the Jews prepared for the journey they would begin the next day. They packed their belongings and asked their Egyptian neighbors for their gold, silver, and other assets. During this night, they made unleavened bread for the journey. Jesus traveled to Jerusalem like obedient Jews did to celebrate the Passover and the exodus from Egypt.

 Jesus and His disciples obediently journeyed to Jerusalem to thank God. They prepared and ate a meal together. Jesus knew, though His disciples did not understand fully, that His time had come. Soon He would be arrested and handed over to the Jewish religious leaders and Roman leaders. The purpose for His life on earth had arrived. The purpose for Jesus’ birth as a man was to provide a once-for-all perfect sacrifice for humanity’s sins. For this reason, He purposefully walked to Jerusalem.

 After Jesus celebrated the Passover and began giving its new meaning of the “Lord’s Supper,” He and His disciples walked to the Mount of Olives, where they often prayed and He taught them. During this time, Judas Iscariot prepared to betray Jesus. He took thirty pieces of silver from the Jewish religious leaders and sought a time to betray Jesus. Jesus knew who would betray Him. He realized, because He is 100% divine, He would be given into the hands of men who would crucify Him. The Son, like the Father, knows all things. That He knew His disciple would betray Him weighed heavily on His heart. As the Son of Man (100% God and 100% man), Jesus understood He would experience the pain of being nailed to a cross, having His side pierced by a spear, and gasping for breath. As a man, Jesus probably felt trepidation and needed strength to finish His purpose on earth. His human mind and heart possibly dreaded what He understood must be done. This gives new depth of meaning to John 3:16. God (Father, Son, and Spirit) loves us so much that He willingly sent His Son to earth in the form of a man to die the death of judgment for our each of our sins. Jesus, God with us, came to us and for us, willingly and knowingly living on earth as a man to die a slow death of asphyxiation for each person. He did this so whoever believes in Him as the Son of God, the Messiah, will have eternal life and forgiveness of sins.

 Jesus said in Mark 14, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me, yet not what I will, but what You will.” Jesus called out, “Daddy!” That speaks of a close relationship with the Father. He then states fact; God is Sovereign and can do anything. Anything, like keeping one from death and from the hands of angry, evil, and scared men. Anything, like making a way for His created and rebellious humans to have an eternal relationship with Him. God is the source of all power. Jesus knows the Godhead is all-powerful. He also knows no other way was available to provide redemption from sins. A sin sacrifice was required, and it could not be just anything. This sin sacrifice had to be perfect, without blemish or stain from sin. The only sinless being is the Godhead-Father, Son, and Spirit. God provided the perfect sacrifice through the death of the Son of Man and Son of God, Jesus the Messiah. With this understanding, Jesus made His final statement in this verse. He said, “Not what I will, but what You will.” The humanity of Jesus submitted to the perfect, divine will of the Godhead. He willingly walked to the cross to be crucified, pierced, and to suffocate so humanity could be saved from their sins and death.

 The Father did not leave Jesus to walk to His mortal death alone. In Luke 22:43, Luke tells us, “An angel from heaven appeared to Him (Jesus) and strengthened Him.” The Father realized the mortal flesh was weary and frightened but determined to do His will because of His overabundant love for each person. Luke continued in verse forty-four by saying, “And being in anguish, He (Jesus) prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” [NIV] Jesus prayed for the strength to walk to His death. He prayed for each person to believe in Him. Jesus prayed so fervently that sweat became profuse, like a river of blood flowing from an arterial vein. The angel encouraged, strengthened, and upheld Him for the purpose for which He humbly gave up His place on the throne in heaven. Jesus’ decision was deliberate before He left heaven, while He walked and taught on earth, and as He prepared for Judas’ betrayal, the Jewish religious leaders’ antagonism and unbelief, and Pontius Pilate’s handwashing. This One who died for the sins of each person was betrayed, mocked, tormented, and found unworthy for a governor to be held accountable.

 Considering what Jesus did and said in Mark 14:36 and Luke 22:43, are any of us ever willing to make these statements to God? Have any of us lived out God’s purpose this determinedly? Have we made a genuine sacrifice of ourselves to God’s plans and purposes? With Jesus as our model, I realize few people make this ultimate stand for God. This purpose in life requires a total surrender of heart and will to God’s plans. Jesus understood this profound surrender. To give oneself in total surrender to God means giving the right to oneself-one’s whole heart, mind, body, and spirit-to obey God in His purposes to save every person before he or she mortally dies.

 Just as Abba gave strength to Jesus to walk the road to Calvary, He gives us the strength to walk according to His plans. Those plans may be to help someone with food, offer shelter for someone without a home, or donate to a charitable organization. It may also mean leaving home and country to live where most people have not heard about Jesus and walk with them telling them about Him. Walking with unbelievers often means being willing to sacrifice our lives. The key to each of these tasks and others God asks of believers is God, not us. God created. He sacrificed and redeems. God cleanses. He calls and strengthens. Then, God walks with those who willingly offer to Him what He asks of them. God gives each person what she or he needs to live abundantly in a loving, growing, and eternal relationship with Him.

Jesus didn’t ask for a kiss, but Judas gave it.

He asks us to believe in Him; He paid the price.

 Are you willing to give your all-heart, soul, body, and spirit-to God? He will give you the strength and everything you need to follow Him. All things are possible with God.

Gnat

 

“What do you think about the Christ? Who’s son is He?” (Matthew 22:42 [NASB])

 Read Matthew 22:41-46 & 23:13-36, Mark 12:35-37, and Luke 20:41-44. Jesus again taught the Pharisees and religious leaders. He spoke to them about their straining of the gnat and not the camel. Jesus also spoke to them about Him being both son of man and Son of God.

The Pharisees and other religious leaders refused to see Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah. They actively refused to believe, so much so that they executed Him on a cross. They also actively strained the gnat, the small laws that made them appear more pious, but couldn't make time for the camel, the things everyone else does in following God's commands, decrees, and laws. These leaders went to great trouble to strain out all the small things. It takes more care to strain small things than large things like the camel. Yet, their efforts to follow the letter of the laws they created supposedly showed their piety.

Jesus’ statement to these men meant they considered the Son of God like the camel; they refused to hear and believe Jesus is the Son of God. These leaders believed He was flesh and a son of David but no more. They wanted to keep their reputation and status in Judea and not be overshadowed by anyone. These religious leaders knew all the laws, commands, and decrees of God and the traditions of the church, but they chose to make only the small things important, things like church traditions. They believed Jesus was a son of man because of His parentage, but refused to believe He is more than that, that He is Sovereign Lord. These leaders wanted people to keep thinking they themselves were the most God-like. They did not want to concede that some poor carpenter's son from Bethlehem is God made flesh. 

To apply this to us, which of the traditions of the church and the laws, commands, and decrees of God do we choose to follow to appear more godly than other people and which do we relegate to the closet considering them unworthy of recognition? Do we make sure we are seen giving money to the needy or the church? Do we attend church every Easter, Christmas, and Sunday only so others can see us attend? Do we give money to a charitable organization that lists its donors? Do we do these things instead of choosing to recognize, listen to, heed, and obey God in the daily things of our lives? When we do these gnat-straining things, we are like the Jewish religious leaders who actively did not seek Jesus Messiah but sought to enhance their status in the community.

God seeks obedience, not grand gestures. This means we must live like Jesus is the Sovereign Lord of our lives and of the world. We must step out of the spotlight and honor and serve God by serving others. Live like Jesus is son of man and Son of God, not one or the other. Let Jesus be Savior and Ruler of your life each day as Son of God,  and be son of man, knowing what it’s like to deal with what life throws at you.

  “Therefore, if David calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” (Jesus said.) (Matthew 22:45 [NASB])